Todd Colby's Glee Farm

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Slide

You think thereis a piece of property somewherewith your name on ita bit of form for youto take into a warm roomin your hands you think you hold thisproperty but you've beenbuilding waterthe gracefully articulatedpresence of an assshows that nothing gets donewithout punishmentall your efforts are flayed and proneso you might as wellslide because it's allfrozen anyway.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

System of Needs

With the contingency of ironythe corporation or the policemaking the protection of propertythe vandals smudging the wallwith political words the gateleft open so the memory of propertyis dissolved as the administratorsof justice barge intothe house take things and diptheir hands in the poison lakewith needs and meansthe body exists but it is not in conformity with the mind.Thanks for the resolution.Thanks for the memories.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

W.G. Sebald

"And I do tell people in private conversations that there are other ways of making ends meet, and that writing often doesn’t work when you try to force it. People usually understand that. I also make sure to tell everybody that it is extremely important to have a profession besides writing, no matter what job it is. There are certain professions that are more suitable than others, as a parallel to this kind of work. Being a doctor, for example, won’t hurt. Whereas being a dentist is not so good. You know, as a dentist you always look into the same mouths and see the same holes. You never hear anything from the patients, because they sit there like this [pulls his mouth wide open and continues sentence in mock constrained voice], and they cannot say anything. Whereas as a physician you receive valuable insight into social contexts, family stories, personal problems, that is a lot of material. Well, and the best thing probably is to be a notary. Hereditary matters. Nowhere can you see as clearly how human beings work than where money is concerned. But on the whole it doesn’t really matter what you are, be it an insurance agent or a teacher or whatever – you just have to have something that will free you from the burden of having to write something every day."

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Listing

1) A maximum flow. Like fame is gorgeous. Like a landscape or a medicine--the feeling being gorgeous.

2) But you have to allow for insecure areas. Where a door is broken from it's hinges or some kids smoking in the upstairs room burn the whole fucking place to the ground.

3) Some would equate this idea with lapping say or neutering--a funnel.

4) Hearing him say drunken--but adding--with sorrow.

5) The art of understanding that everyone is only here to talk about themselves. That they can barely wait to get an edge in wordwise--to illuminate the pedestal they built from shit they found on the way to you.

6) In an effort to show concern in his face while listening to people talk about their fame he stood in a mirror and feigned concern until his face froze that way. His concern is no longer an effort. He eases into it as easily as his penis slips into his hand.

7) You might equate sorrow with genuine things--so that helps distill the idea of being genuine in the minds of those concerned about authenticity.

8) You can watch yourself be sad if the mirrors are positioned in such a way that you are constantly observing yourself in a moment of surprise.

9) There might be an angle you've never seen yourself from before. You might want to check online for that kind of mirror that allows you to get a new angle on your jawline or hair.

10) There is a resting place and you will know about it while you watch yourself in one of the cameras. It is off to one side making your breathing shallow and lonesome--but don't worry--you're being watched.

Vent

Middle aged suicides are upbecause there is some rocking shitgoing on away from the jobscares and worries becausethe sticky ticket is throbbingin the gestures of the anchorreading the news from a shinyplate of tumors a tea leafat the corner of each mouth.

Nothing

Spreading my wingslike there are wingsthat a human can understandand fully operateso as to have arms rubbingthe area around the buttonwhere the wings are buttonedto a flying blousebefore slipping it intolow air masswith these huge colorsthere might be a hastylamp the way peopleask for help with a dollarhidden in their handand they shake thissilvery dust in the longlow light of late winterafternoon is all over themas they play spoonson their thighs clickinga satisfied nothing.

Party

If in a moment of panic and self-doubtyou are moving someone with a stickpoking at them say to propel themfrom the edge of the carpetthat the person you are movingwith a stick is on a frayed lamp cordand there are bells or some alarmsgoing off like a bank would haveor a toaster would click withbread that is toastedthe smell of toast which is whatpeople who've had heart attackssay they've smelled before their heart is attackedif that is the caseif all this is truewe should get togetherand party.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Days

Burn one blink and blasted presencethe question is always the dayand what to do with itor in it in the span of a daythe miracle of tone sharks swirlon the F-train a delightfulpuzzle of your achievementsor the achievements of friendsthey achieve the thingsand you are the cheerleaderleaning down tellingthe people their shoesfit them precisely and theycan achieve so muchin a pair of socksa rainbow of light and lovedashed in the sweet smellof the lethal dry cleanerit will all be over soonerthan you know all aboutmy days and yours?What about yours?

About Me

Todd Colby, poet and artist, is the author of six books of poetry, including Tremble and Shine (Soft Skull Press, 2004), Riot in the Charm Factory: New and Selected Poems (Soft Skull Press, 2003), Flushing Meadows (Scary Topiary Press, 2013) and Splash State (The Song Cave, 2014).